Method for filling container with beverage and filling device

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a filling device (1) for filling a container (3), in particular a glass bottle, with a beverage, in particular beer. For this purpose, the container is mechanically washed (4) and thus heated in order to prepare for filling. The beverage is prepared at an entry temperature (20) and mechanically filled (5) at a filling temperature (19) followed by pasteurization (6). The container heated in this process is cooled to an outlet temperature (8). As a result, the beverage is heated by the heat (10) obtained during cooling to the outlet temperature for subsequent filling, in particular from the inlet temperature to at least the filling temperature, so that the expense for cooling the hot wash container before filling can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method and a filling device for filling beverages into containers according to the preamble of claims 1 and 9. Background Art

[0002] For filling beverages, in particular carbonated beverages or beverages mixed with other gases, such as beer, it is known to cool the beverage at a storage temperature (referring to the fermentation cellar or the buffer tank as a pressure tank after filtration and short-term heating or before filling, not the storage cellar) of usually 0 to 6° C. (15 to 20° C. in the case of bottle fermentation) and fill it into glass bottles or similar containers essentially at this temperature. After sealing, it is thermally treated in a pasteurizer, wherein the relevant inlet temperature is likewise about 2 to 12° C., and the outlet temperature of the pasteurized bottle is set to about 25 to 40° C. by means of a tempering zone. In this case, internal energy recovery is usually carried out between the tempering zones with similar temperature levels on the inlet and outlet sides.

[0003] The containers are usually reusable bottles which are hot washed in a washing machine before filling, whereby they are heated. In order to avoid glass breakage, for example due to temperature differences between the bottles heated in the washing machine and the product to be filled during the filling process, the bottles are cooled on the outlet side of the washing machine with cold fresh water or, if necessary, by being connected to a refrigeration machine, for example in such a way that the temperature difference between the bottle and the product to be filled does not exceed about 20° C. This results in a high demand for fresh water and, if necessary, also active cooling by means of an external cooling unit, depending on the temperature of the fresh water.

[0004] Depending on the difference between the outlet temperature and the inlet temperature of the pasteurizer, it may be necessary to actively cool at least one tempering zone of the pasteurizer by providing external cold energy, which is a further disadvantage of methods and filling devices of the above-described type. Summary of the invention

[0005] Therefore, there is a need for a filling method and a filling apparatus that can eliminate or at least alleviate at least one of the above-mentioned problems.

[0006] This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1 and a filling device according to claim 9. Preferred embodiments are given in the dependent claims.

[0007] The method is therefore used for filling beverages, such as carbonated beverages and in particular beer. The filling takes place in containers, in particular made of glass, which have been mechanically cleaned beforehand and are therefore heated before being fed into the filling machine.

[0008] For example, the container is a bottle. In principle, the method described is also possible for containers of different types and / or containers made of different materials, such as rigid containers made of plastic, in particular plastic bottles, and is particularly advantageous for containers that are at risk of rupture due to rapid changes in temperature. Therefore, the described filling device is configured to process containers of the corresponding type.

[0009] According to the method, the beverage is provided at an inlet temperature which may correspond, for example, to the storage temperature of the beverage, and according to the invention the beverage is mechanically filled at a filling temperature which is higher than the inlet temperature. The storage temperature is then the temperature in the beverage buffer tank or pressure tank after the fermentation cellar or filtration and before short-term heating or filling, and not the temperature in the storage cellar.

[0010] The container filled with beverage and sealed is then pasteurized, the heated container then immediately cooled to the outlet temperature. According to the invention, the beverage is heated for subsequent filling by the heat gained during cooling to the outlet temperature, in particular starting from the inlet temperature at least to the filling temperature. That is, the beverage can be heated, for example, to 1 to 2 K above the filling temperature and cooled to the filling temperature during optional temporary storage and transport to filling.

[0011] The heating of the beverage to substantially the filling temperature prior to filling reduces the temperature difference with the heated container compared to known filling substantially at the storage temperature of the beverage. In other words, the cleaned container can be filled at a higher temperature than in conventional methods. Accordingly, cooling energy for cooling the container can be saved, for example by reducing the fresh water requirement.

[0012] The heat obtained during the cooling of the pasteurization container to the outlet temperature is transferred to the beverage, for example, by heat exchange with the circulating water. The cooled circulating water is preferably recirculated as cooling water for cooling the pasteurization container. Thus, the supply of external energy for actively cooling the container to adjust the outlet temperature, for example by means of an active cooling unit, can be avoided or at least reduced. For this purpose, the cooling water (cooled circulating water) can be temporarily stored in a water tank, in particular a cold water tank.

[0013] The method is particularly effective when the outlet temperature of the pasteurization container is 1 to 15 K higher than the filling temperature, in particular 2 to 12 K higher.

[0014] In a particularly advantageous variant of the method, the filling temperature is 20 to 40° C., in particular 25 to 35° C. Such filling temperatures are also possible for carbonated beverages, such as beer, for example by a filling method in which containers, such as bottles, are filled on a rotary filler, the method steps being as follows: lifting the respective bottle to the filling valve; flushing the bottle with, for example, nitrogen, CO2; emptying the bottle; filling with beverage, preferably at the filling end, by foam compression; sealing the bottle in the same pressure chamber in which the bottle is filled; releasing the pressure chamber; and lowering the bottle from the filling valve.

[0015] In this case, the emptied bottle can be filled without prestressing and the filling process can be terminated, for example, when the boiler pressure is reached above the beverage in the bottle. The head space of the bottle can then be filled with CO2 (or an alternative gas). For sealing, the bottle can be provided with a closure during rinsing and the pressure chamber can be sealed, for example, by lowering the closure head from above and closing the neck seal from below. Furthermore, the corresponding filling valve can be retracted after filling and the bottle can be closed with a crown cork.

[0016] For example, the containers can be supplied from the washing machine to the filling machine at a discharge temperature of at least 40° C., in particular at least 50° C.

[0017] In the described method, conventional storage temperatures can be used as inlet temperatures, for example 0 to 20°C, in particular 1 to 10°C.

[0018] In order to carry out the described method, the filling plant comprises a washing machine for washing and thus heating the discharge containers for subsequent filling, a filling machine (filler) for filling the beverage into the containers, and a pasteurizer for pasteurizing the filled containers, wherein the pasteurizer comprises a tempering zone for cooling the pasteurized containers to an outlet temperature.

[0019] According to the invention, the filling device comprises a heat exchanger unit for transferring the heat gained during cooling to the inlet temperature to the beverage to be filled.

[0020] For this purpose, the filling device preferably comprises a water circuit for transporting heat from the tempering zone to the heat exchanger unit and for transporting cold extracted from the heat exchanger unit when the beverage is heated to the tempering zone. For this purpose, a cold water tank can be integrated into the water circuit upstream of the tempering zone. In principle, a hot water tank integrated downstream of the tempering zone is also conceivable.

[0021] Between the heat exchanger unit and the filler there may be a beverage tank for storing, buffering or similarly preheating the beverage until filling. A heater may be provided between the beverage tank and the filler and / or between the heat exchanger unit and the filler in order to heat the beverage to the filling temperature when the filling plant is started, i.e. when sufficient waste heat from the pasteurizer is available. The heater may also be adjusted to the desired temperature by reheating.

[0022] It is to be understood that the described filling device can have device features for carrying out the described method steps and conversely, the functions of the described components of the filling device can be used for the method. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings. The single figure shows a flow chart of a filling device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Thus, for filling containers 3, in particular glass bottles, with beverages 2, in particular carbonated beverages or beverages mixed with a propellant gas (mixture) other than carbon dioxide, such as nitrogen, such as beer, the filling device 1 comprises a cleaning machine 4 for cleaning and correspondingly heating the containers 3 for subsequent filling with the beverage 2. In addition, the filling device 1 comprises a filling machine 5 for filling the containers 3 with the beverage 2 and a pasteurizer 6 for pasteurizing the filled and closed containers 3. The pasteurization zone / tempering zone 7 is integrated into the pasteurizer 6 or is assigned to the pasteurizer 6 on the outlet side in order to cool the pasteurized containers 3 to an outlet temperature 8.

[0025] The filling device 1 further comprises a heat exchanger unit 9 , with which heat 10 obtained during the cooling of the pasteurization container 3 to the outlet temperature 8 can be transferred to the beverage 2 to be filled.

[0026] The filling device 1 further comprises a water circuit 11 for transporting heat 10 from the pasteurization / tempering zone 7 to the heat exchanger unit 9 and for transporting cold 12 taken from the heat exchanger unit 9 to the tempering zone 7 by circulating water 13 while the beverage 2 is heated there.

[0027] To this end, the heat exchanger unit 9 comprises a first heat exchanger 14 having a primary circuit 14a for the beverage 2 and a secondary circuit 14b for the circulating water 13. A water tank 15, in particular a cold water tank, can be integrated into the heat exchanger unit 9 or arranged in another way in the water circuit 11 between the heat exchanger 14 and a second heat exchanger 16 assigned to the tempering stage 7. The second heat exchanger 16 then comprises, in a manner known in principle, a primary circuit 16a connected to the tempering stage 7 and a secondary circuit 16b integrated into the water circuit 11.

[0028] The beverage cans 17 are preferably arranged between the heat exchanger unit 9 and the filler 5, and optionally also a heater 18 is arranged therebetween, which can be independently supplied with energy in a manner known in principle. The beverage 2 heated in the heat exchanger unit 9 substantially to the filling temperature 19 or slightly above the filling temperature 19 can be temporarily stored in the beverage cans 17 for the next filling. If sufficient heat 10 (waste heat) has not yet been provided from the tempering zone 7 in the heat exchanger unit 9, for example when the filling device 1 is started, the beverage can be heated to the filling temperature 19 using the heater 18.

[0029] The beverage 2 is provided to the heat exchanger unit 9 at an inlet temperature 20, which may for example correspond to a storage temperature 21 of the beverage 2. The inlet temperature 20 is for example 2 to 12°C.

[0030] The clean container 3 preferably has a discharge temperature 22 of at least 40° C., in particular at least 50° C., when leaving the washing machine 4. Therefore, the need for cooling energy, for example from fresh water, for outlet-side cooling of the hot washing container 3 in the washing machine 4 is correspondingly low.

[0031] For example, the difference between the inlet temperature 20 of the beverage 2 and its storage temperature 21 may be due to at least one additional heat exchanger unit 23 connected upstream of the heat exchanger unit 9, with which the cold has been removed from the beverage 2 by the third heat exchanger 24. This would then accordingly include a primary circuit 24a through which the beverage 2 flows and a secondary circuit 24b connected to at least one refrigeration consumer. In this case, the further heat exchanger unit 24 could be assigned a separate cold water tank 25. For example, the washing machine 4 could be considered as the assigned refrigeration consumer, which would then be connected to the secondary circuit 24b of the third heat exchanger 24 by means of a fourth heat exchanger 26 in a manner known in principle.

[0032] Thus, by means of the at least one further heat exchanger unit 24 the beverage 2 can be heated from the storage temperature 21 to a relatively high inlet temperature 20 .

[0033] According to the invention, the cold energy stored in the beverage 2 can therefore be used to cool at least the pasteurization / tempering zone 7 , but also for the filling plant 1 , other production plants, processing units, other refrigeration consumers in building supply technology or for similar purposes.

[0034] At the same time, the need for cooling the containers 3 at the outlet of the washing machine 4 is reduced. For example, at a filling temperature 19 of the beverage 2 of 25 to 35° C. and a temperature 22 of the containers 3 exiting the washing machine 4 of at least 50° C., a temperature difference between the beverage 2 and the container 3 suitable for filling is created.

[0035] The described method can be carried out particularly effectively if the filling machine 5 is designed as a combined filling and sealing machine. In this case, for example, both the filling of the beverage 2 and the sealing of the filling container 3 can be carried out in the region of a pressure chamber formed on the corresponding filling member (not shown). This is conducive to filling at a relatively high filling temperature 19 of, for example, 25 to 35° C. In principle, however, a downstream sealing machine 5 a (shown only schematically) can also be assigned to the filling machine 5.

Claims

1. A method for filling a beverage (2), in particular beer, into a container (3), in particular a glass bottle or a rigid plastic container, wherein: The containers are mechanically cleaned and thus heated in preparation for filling, wherein the beverage is prepared at an inlet temperature (20) and mechanically filled at a filling temperature (19), subsequently pasteurized, and the containers heated in the process are cooled to an outlet temperature (8), characterised in that the beverage is heated for subsequent filling by means of the heat (10) gained during cooling to the outlet temperature, in particular from the inlet temperature at least to the filling temperature.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The heat (10) gained during cooling to the outlet temperature (8) is transferred to the beverage (2) in a heat exchanger (14) via the circulating water (13), and the circulating water thus cooled is recirculated as cooling water for cooling the pasteurization container (3).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The cooling water / cooled circulating water (13) is temporarily stored in a water tank (15), in particular a cold water tank.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The heated beverage (2) is temporarily stored in a beverage tank (17) and is prepared from there for filling.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The outlet temperature (8) is 1 to 15°C, in particular 2 to 12°C, higher than the filling temperature (19).

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The containers (3) are fed from the cleaning machine (4) to the filling machine, where the discharge temperature (22) is at least 40°C, in particular at least 50°C.

7. The method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein: The filling temperature (19) is 20 to 40°C, in particular 25 to 35°C.

8. The method according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein: The inlet temperature (20) is 0 to 20°C, in particular 1 to 10°C.

9. A filling device (1) for filling a beverage (2), in particular beer, into a glass container (3), comprising: a washing machine (4) for washing and thus heating the discharged containers for subsequent filling; a filling machine (5) for filling the beverage into the containers; and a pasteurizer (6) for pasteurizing the filled containers, the pasteurizer (6) having a tempering zone (7) for cooling the pasteurized containers to an outlet temperature (8), characterized by a heat exchanger unit (9) for transferring heat (10) obtained during cooling to the inlet temperature to the beverage to be filled.

10. Filling device according to claim 9, further comprising a water circuit (11) for transporting the heat (10) from the tempering zone (7) to the heat exchanger unit (9), and for transporting the beverage (2) to the tempering zone by transferring the cold (12) extracted from the heat exchanger unit to the tempering zone.

11. Filling device according to claim 10, further comprising a water tank (15), in particular a cold water tank, integrated into the water circuit (11) upstream of the tempering zone (7).

12. Filling device according to any one of claims 9 to 11, further comprising a beverage tank (17) arranged between the heat exchanger unit (9) and the filling machine (5) for temporarily storing the heated beverage (2).

13. The filling device according to claim 12 further comprises a heater (18) arranged between the beverage can (17) and the filling machine (5) and / or between the heat exchanger unit (9) and the filling machine (5), for supplementary heating of the beverage (2), in particular when the filling device is started.

14. Filling device according to at least one of claims 9 to 13, further comprising at least one further heat exchanger unit (23) connected upstream on the product side, the heat exchanger unit (23) having an allocated water circuit for transferring cold from the beverage (2) to at least one further refrigeration consumer.

15. Filling device according to at least one of claims 9 to 14, wherein: The filling machine (5) is configured to fill at a filling temperature (19) of the beverage (2) of at least 15°C, in particular 25 to 35°C.

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